Mycotoxin contamination of feed stuff often involves multiple toxins affecting various aspects of animal health, gut integrity, and animal performance. This is mainly caused by the detrimental effects mycotoxins have on the immune system, the gut barrier or the oxidative status of the animals. Effects that can be seen are, for instance, enlarged or shrunken organs as well as inflamed tissues. Binding components efficacy is essential to prevent the maximum of toxins from entering the digestive tract.

1. M
ycotoxin contamination of feed stuff often involves
multiple toxins affecting various aspects of animal
health, gut integrity, and animal performance. This is
mainly caused by the detrimental effects mycotoxins
have on the immune system, the gut barrier or the oxidative status
of the animals. Effects that can be seen are, for instance, enlarged
or shrunken organs as well as inflamed tissues. Binding components
efficacy is essential to prevent the maximum of toxins from entering
the digestive tract.
But as mycotoxins and their metabolites are so numerous with dif-
ferent chemical structures (polarity, size, conformation, etc), no binder
is able to bind efficiently all categories of mycotoxins. In addition to
special care to prevent the growth of moulds, detoxification measures,
reduction of gastrointestinal absorption with mycotoxin binders, there
is a need for prevention of the mycotoxin-induced toxic effects once
the toxin is ingested. Nutritional approaches, such as supplementation
of nutrients, food components, or additives with protective effects
against mycotoxin toxicity are gaining interest. In response, Dr Eckel
has developed a new generation of mycotoxin binder to face the chal-
lenges of modern animal production.
Comprehensive solution fights 4
main toxicity mechanisms
Anta®Ferm MT FlavoMax is a comprehensive solution that targets
the 4 main toxicity mechanisms to prevent the harmful effects of a
wide range of mycotoxins. Anta®Ferm MT FlavoMax impacts directly
on the toxins (binding components) and on the animal, activating its
own natural defences (fig 1):
• Binding of mycotoxins
• Reduction of oxidative stress
• Protection of the gut barrier function including anti-inflammatory
effects along the digestive tract
• Modulation of the immune system
Binding of mycotoxins
Anta®Ferm MT Flavomax includes a proven combination of selected
mineral clays and yeast cell walls, showing an excellent binding efficacy of
different mycotoxins (Lohölter et al. 2013).
The selected mineral clays bind mycotoxins
in their interlayers by a process called
chemisorption. Yeast cell walls are com-
posed of complex polymers of β-(1,3)/(1,6)
glucan, mannan-­oligosaccharide (MOS) and
chitin. MOS is located on the surface of the
cell wall and plays an important role in bind-
ing mycotoxins and improving the micro-
environment of the animal’s digestive tract.
The efficacy of glucomannan-containing
yeast products as mycotoxin absorbents in
feed has been investigated in several studies
on animals. As a mycotoxin binder, yeast
cell walls have numerous characteristics
including: Binding mycotoxins, especially
zearalenone (ZEN); unaffected by the pH
of the gastrointestinal tract; without chang-
ing nutritional value (regarding mineral and
vitamin) in feed; no residue in animal.
More than a mycotoxin binder…
Anta®
Ferm MT FlavoMax
by Monika Korzekwa, Dr Eckel
32 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | November-December 2015
FEATURE

2. Reduction of oxidative stress.
Some mycotoxins (ie, OTA, FB1, AFB1, DON, and T2) have been
known to produce damages by increasing oxidative stress. The animal
has to detoxify mycotoxins, which is called xenobiotic metabolisation.
During this detoxification process, free radicals are produced that
increase levels of oxidative stress resulting in DNA damage, lipid
peroxidation and inflammation or cell death. Practical implications can
be reduced health status, increased incidence and severity of inflam-
mations or skin disorders. The flavonoids in Anta®Ferm MT FlavoMax
have shown to reduce oxidative stress by deactivating reactive radicals
in the body (Gessner et al 2013).
Protection of the gut barrier function including
anti-inflammatory effects along the digestive tract
The intestinal epithelium has many different functions. One is the
absorption of nutrients. It is also the first protective barrier between
the gut lumen and the animal’s blood stream. Several studies have
shown that mycotoxins such as DON and OTA reduce the protective
function of the gut wall. A meta-analysis published by Grenier and
Applegate (2013) reviews how mycotoxins can modulate intestinal
functions. In terms of morphology of the intestinal villi, studies show
that feeding poultry low or moderate levels of deoxynivalenol (DON)
alone or combined with other fusariotoxins leads to a reduction in
villi height in both the duodenum and jejunum. Practical implications
can range from diarrhoea, inflammation and fever to reduced feed
efficiency. In a series of trials, the plant based ingredients in Anta®Ferm
MT FlavoMax have shown to act as an anti-inflammatory agent along
the digestive tract, having a positive effect on the integrity of the intes-
tinal epithelium resulting in an improved feed conversion ratio (fig 2).
Modulation of the immune system
Since not all mycotoxins can be neutralised by binding, it is
important to include additional mechanisms that go beyond binding
to maintain optimal performance. A well-functioning immune system
contributes to high performing animals. Anta®Ferm MT FlavoMax
includes B-Glucans, which have been shown to activate macrophages,
improve lymphocyte proliferation, reduce pathogen attachment and
improve vaccination response – a powerful boost for the immune
system.
Binding components efficacy is essential to prevent the maximum
of toxins from entering the digestive tract. But as mycotoxins and
their metabolites are so numerous with so many different chemi-
cal structures (polarity, size, conformation, etc), no binder is able
to bind efficiently all categories of mycotoxins in a sufficient way.
Anta®Ferm MT FlavoMax stimulates an animal’s natural defences in
three essential ways: it prevents tissues peroxidation, boosts immune
response and reduces inflammation along the digestive tract caused
by mycotoxins.
November-December 2015 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | 33
FEATURE